Explanation:
Yesterday, the
first soft landing
on a comet took place some
500 million kilometers from planet Earth as the
Rosetta mission
lander Philae settled on the nucleus of
C67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
The landing site, dubbed Agilkia, is located near the center of
this remarkable image
snapped by Philae's ROLIS (ROsetta Lander Imaging System)
camera.
Taken from a distance of about 3 kilometers
the image has a resolution of about 3 meters per pixel at
the surface.
After Philae's
release from the orbiter, its seven-hour long
descent was made
without propulsion or guidance.
Following its descent the lander is in place,
though its anchoring harpoon system did not fire.
For 2.5 days the lander is intended to conduct its main
science mission returning
extensive images and data.
An extended surface mission may be possible
if sunlight and dust conditions allow solar panels to
recharge Philae's battery.